U.S. Embassy Warns Americans in Paris to Avoid Protests Ahead of Sunday's Steelers-Saints Game

Since late September, protests over living costs and school conditions have spread across France, many with arson, barricades and street clashes with police. This week the U.S. government put that unrest in writing, with the NFL's Paris game three days away.

The U.S. Embassy issued a security alert on Thursday, Oct. 22. The State Department had already updated its France Travel Advisory on Oct. 21.

The Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints play Sunday, Oct. 25, at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis. Kickoff is 2:30 p.m. local time. It is the NFL's first regular-season game in France.

What the alert says

The embassy told Americans to "avoid demonstrations and areas of unrest" and to "stay away from areas with large crowds or significant police activity."

It then addressed the game directly: "Americans in Paris for the NFL game on Sunday, October 25 should also exercise caution and be aware of their surroundings."

The embassy said recent demonstrations "were violent and involved heavy property destruction, uncontrolled looting, and attacks on police." Police used crowd-control methods including tear gas.

The unrest that drew the heaviest damage came on Oct. 17 and 18, according to the embassy's account of recent events.

The alert does not identify a specific threat against the game or the people attending it. It describes the general security picture around the city.

Saturday protests and local curfews

Numerous groups have filed plans to demonstrate on Saturday, Oct. 24. The embassy warned that permits for routes do not guarantee protests stay on them. "Last-minute changes can happen and protests can occur outside planned routes," the alert said.

In Orléans, the embassy said, media report significant marches planned for both Saturday and Sunday.

Curfews are local, not national. In Paris, a curfew from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. has applied in designated areas around Place de la République and Les Halles. Lille and other northern towns have restricted minors from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. in specified zones. Nice has a curfew for minors in parts of the city.

The embassy said curfews in parts of France, including some Paris neighborhoods, "might continue." It added that they can be imposed on short notice and restrict gatherings and movement around certain public landmarks.

The alert also flags possible last-minute closures and delays on metro and rail lines, plus road disruption from demonstrations and blockades.

The French government's line

The embassy said the French government has indicated it will take steps to curb "illegitimate" protests, while demonstrations organized by groups such as trade unions will be allowed to proceed. The alert does not say how French authorities define the difference.

The protesters' stated grievances are specific. Students have complained of overcrowded classrooms, deteriorating school buildings and a shortage of teachers, according to Forbes reporting. Forbes also reported that thousands of people have been arrested and hundreds injured since the unrest began. Those figures are Forbes' own count and the French government has not been quoted confirming them here.

President Emmanuel Macron has faced pressure to respond to the violence, and authorities have restricted demonstrations in several areas.

The Steelers House event is canceled, the game is not

The Steelers have already pulled one piece of their Paris trip. The club cancelled its planned weekend Steelers House fan event in the Bastille neighborhood.

"Following recent events in the Bastille neighborhood, and after careful consideration, we felt it appropriate not to move forward with the planned Steelers House fan event in Paris," the team said in a statement Thursday.

The game itself remains on the schedule.

Before the latest violence, France carried a Level 2 advisory ("exercise increased caution") citing terrorism and civil unrest. That advisory noted pickpocketing is common in crowded places and that peaceful protests and strikes occur regularly. The Oct. 21 update added the recent violence.

The first test is Saturday, Oct. 24, when the groups that filed protest plans are due to march. French authorities have said they will move against protests they deem illegitimate. Whether new curfews follow, and whether any of the Paris restrictions extend toward Saint-Denis before Sunday's kickoff, depends on local officials. The embassy says those calls come on short notice.